1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to preference detecting apparatuses and methods and media therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a preference detecting apparatus and method and a medium therefor in which a preference of a test subject is rapidly and accurately detected by applying pressure in the form of time (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ctime pressurexe2x80x9d) on the test subject, thus eliminating arbitrariness in the test subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
People""s interest varies depending on each person. By detecting a preference of a person, it is possible to provide the person with information that may be of interest to the person. Various methods have been proposed to detect a person""s preference.
A first method is to make each person report their preference beforehand and to register the preference. A second method is to observe the behavior of each person for a long period of time and to determine their preference based on the observation result.
The first method of making each person report their preference and registering the preference involves difficulty in classifying preferred objects and in covering all the objects. Since the first method is based on the preference reported by each person, arbitrary preferences cannot be eliminated.
The second method of observing the behavior of each person makes it difficult to narrow down the preferences, and it requires a long period of time to finally determine the preference.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a preference detecting apparatus and method for rapidly and accurately determining a preference of a test subject while eliminating arbitrariness in the test subject.
A preference detecting apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a providing unit for providing a test subject with predetermined information. A detecting unit detects the response of the test subject to the information provided by the providing unit. An applying unit applies time pressure on the response of the test subject to the information provided by the providing unit. A determining unit determines the preference of the test subject based on the detection result obtained by the detecting unit.
The providing unit may provide the test subject with images as the predetermined information.
The images may be classified by category.
The detecting unit may detect the response of the test subject based on focusing conditions of the test subject on the images.
The detecting unit may detect an image on which the test subject initially focused his attention.
The determining unit may determine the preference of the test subject based on ratios regarding the images, in which each ratio is obtained as the number of times the attention of the test subject was focused on each image to the number of times each image was displayed.
The determining unit may determine the preference of the test subject based on ratios regarding the images, in which each ratio is obtained as the number of times the initial attention of the test subject was focused on each image to the number of times each image was displayed.
The determining unit may determine the preference of the test subject based on a peak value of the ratios.
The determining unit may detect the peak value of the ratios by changing the time pressure applied by the applying unit.
The applying unit may include an executing unit for causing the test subject to execute a predetermined task and an adjusting unit for adjusting a period up to completion of the task.
The task may be a game.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a preference detecting method includes a providing step of providing a test subject with predetermined information. A detecting step detects the response of the test subject to the information provided by the providing step. An applying step applies time pressure on the response of the test subject to the information provided by the providing step. A determining step determines the preference of the test subject based on the detection result obtained by the detecting step.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable medium for causing a computer to execute a program. The program includes a providing step of providing predetermined information to a test subject. A detecting step detects the response of the test subject to the information provided by the providing step. An applying step applies time pressure on the response of the test subject to the information provided by the providing step. A determining step determines the preference of the test subject based on the detection result obtained by the detecting step.
According to a preference detecting apparatus, a preference detecting method, and a computer-readable medium for causing a computer to execute a program, arbitrariness in a test subject can be eliminated, and accurate and rapid detection of the test subject""s preference can be performed.